MUSCAT: The Oman Olympic Committee (OOC) and the French embassy in the Sultanate of Oman recently marked the countdown of the 2024 Summer Olympic Games in Paris through organising round table discussions with athletes titled under 'Women and Sport'. The discussions took place at the main hall of the Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex with group of inspiring female athletes focused on women’s empowerment through sports.
The chief guest Sayyida Sana Hamad al Busaidi, Chairman of Oman Women’s Sports and Gender Equality Committee, delivered a speech on the development of Oman’s women sports. “We are really proud with the domestic female athletes representation in different regional, continental and Olympic events. The national female athletes managed to register different accomplishment for the country in several championships and main events at the group and individual sports.
Our focus now is to see more female athletes in the top major events like Olympic Games and other global events. We want to see more medals and achievements from the athletes," she said.
Veronique Aulagnon, Ambassador of the French Republic to the Sultanate of Oman, said:” In less than 50 days, Paris will host the opening ceremony of 2024 Olympic Games. This is the best celebration for the Olympics in Oman by showcasing how France and Oman are cooperating in the sports field, encourage Omanis to travel to France this summer and focus on women in sport. I hope this event will contribute to empower more women to engage in sport,” she said.
The panel discussion featured from top inspiring female athletes including Saada al Ismali, Vice-Chairperson of Oman Women’s Sports Committee, Rumaitha al Busaidi, broadcaster and activist, Noorulhuda al Mandhari, mountain climber, Al Yaqeen al Kindi (horse jumping), Marwa al Wadahi (weightlifter) and Neha Deshmukh (yoga).
During the round table discussions, many topics were discussed including the challenges faced in this field. The athletes also shared their experiences through emphasising the importance of overcoming obstacles and barriers to achieve more athletic ambitions and the significance of community and family support in empowering women. Also on agenda was the role of media in supporting women's sports and how it can be used as an effective tool to highlight women's athletic achievements. Balancing the passion for the sport with a woman's personal and professional life was another topic discussed during the session.
For the first time in the history of the Olympic Games, Paris 2024 will see as many women as men competing in the competitions.
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